Daylily plant named ‘Happy Enchantment’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Hemerocallis  cultivar of the dormant type is provided. The new cultivar is very floriferous and forms attractive ruffled pink flowers displaying a magenta eyezone, substantial substance, and a funnel-shaped form over an extended period of time. In U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone No. 6, blooming commonly begins during late June and commonly ends in mid-September. The new cultivar displays a plurality of fans and a plurality of scapes per fan. In excess of 20 buds commonly are formed per scape. The new cultivar is well suited for growing as distinctive colorful ornamentation in the landscape.

Botanical/commercial classification: Hemerocallis hybrida/Daylily.

Varietal denomination: cv. Happy Enchantment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Hemerocallis plant of the dormant type, and hereinafter is referred to by the cultivar name ‘Happy Enchantment’.

The new cultivar is the product of a planned breeding program which had as its objective the creation of a new Daylily cultivar that is intended for use as attractive ornamentation in the landscape.

The cross that resulted in the production of the new cultivar of the present invention was carried out in a controlled environment during May, 2003, at Bridgeton, N.J., U.S.A. The female parent (i.e., the seed parent) of the new cultivar was the ‘Siloam John Walters’ cultivar (non-patented in the United States) which displays soft yellow flowers having less than optimum substance. Such female parent is registered with the American Hemerocallis Society.

The male parent (i.e., the pollen parent) of the new cultivar was an unnamed seedling (non-patented in the United States) that was the product of the cross of the ‘Rosy Returns’ cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,779) and an unnamed and unreleased Hemerocallis plant (non-patented in the United States). The male parent displays dissimilar dusty pink and red flowers having less than desirable substance. The ‘Rosy Returns’ cultivar in the ancestory of the new cultivar forms dissimilar rose-pink flowers.

The parentage of the new cultivar of the present invention can be summarized as follows: ‘Siloam John Walters’×Unnamed Seedling.

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and small plantlets were obtained which were physically and biologically different from each other. A number of such plants were transplanted into the field at Bridgeton, N.J., U.S.A., during June 2004. Selective study during May-June 2005 resulted in the identification of a single plant of the new cultivar.

It was found that the new Hemerocallis plant of the present invention is of the dormant type:

-   -   (a) forms attractive ruffled pink flowers having a magenta         eyezone, substantial substance, and a funnel-shaped form,     -   (b) possesses a long blooming season with substantially multiple         repeat blooming,     -   (c) exhibits a propensity to readily display a plurality of         fans, and     -   (d) readily forms a plurality of scapes per fan over the         flowering season.

The ‘Happy Enchantment’ cultivar resembles some well-known cultivars, such as the ‘Stella D' Oro’ cultivar (non-patented in the United States) and the ‘Happy Returns’ cultivar (non-patented in the United States) in the sense that it commonly possesses an unusually long and substantially continuous blooming season (i.e., a multiple repeat character) of up to approximately 75 days in U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone No. 6. Such blooming commonly begins during late June and commonly ends in mid-September. This compares to a bloom period of less than about 30 days for over 99 percent of the hybrid Daylilies that presently are available in the trade.

As indicated, the ‘Happy Enchantment’ plant exhibits attractive ruffled pink flowers with a magenta eyezone. Such flowers can be readily distinguished from the orange-yellow flowers of the ‘Stella D' Oro’ cultivar, and the medium yellow flowers of the ‘Happy Returns’ cultivar. To the best knowledge of the originator, the ‘Happy Enchantment’ cultivar is the first long and substantially continuously blooming Daylily having flowers that exhibit such a pink and magenta contrast combined with substantial flower substance on a substantial scape.

The new cultivar can form up to 4 or more fans per year. This compares to approximately 6 to 8 fans per year for the ‘Stella D' Oro’ cultivar and the ‘Happy Returns’ cultivar. Most Daylily cultivars form only approximately 2 to 3 fans per year. Also, the new cultivar commonly forms several scapes per fan during the flowering season, unlike most Daylilies that commonly produce only one scape per fan.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by division was initially carried out on Sep. 1, 2005 at Bridgeton, N.J., U.S.A. At the time of such asexual reproduction the original plant of the new cultivar consisted of a clump of five fans that were phenotypically identical to each other. More specifically, the clump of the new cultivar was removed from the field and the fans were divided. It has been demonstrated that the characteristics of the new cultivar are firmly fixed and are well retained following this asexual reproduction.

The ‘Happy Enchantment’ plant has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light, day length, contact with pesticides, etc.

The new ‘Happy Enchantment’ cultivar will be marketed by the Assignee under the HAPPY EVER APPSTER trademark beginning in May 2015.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show the original plant of the new cultivar in color as nearly true as it is possible to make the same in color illustrations of this character. Each photograph was prepared on Jun. 11, 2013 while the plant was being grown at Bridgeton, N.J., U.S.A. The attractive ruffled pink flowers having a magenta eyezone are illustrated as well as the foliage, floral buds, and reproductive parts.

FIG. 1 illustrates opened flowers, buds, and foliage.

FIG. 2 illustrates a closer view of the attractive opened ruffled pink flowers having a magenta eyezone.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England (1995 Edition or equivalent). The original plant of the new cultivar is described, except as otherwise indicated, when observed and described during August 2014 while growing at Bridgeton, N.J., U.S.A., under field growing conditions.

-   Classification:     -   -   Botanical.—Hemerocallis hybrida.         -   Commercial name.—Daylily.         -   Cultivar.—Happy Enchantment. -   Plant:     -   -   Height.—Approximately 31 cm at an age of one year.         -   Width.—Approximately 51 cm at an age of one year.         -   Foliage.—Form: single stem, substantially erect fan-shaped             plant having narrow arching, long, keeled, grass-like             glabrous to slightly textured leaves that are two-ranked at             the base of the scape. Quantity: abundant, with a mature             plant commonly having approximately 16 leaves per fan. Leaf             Size: commonly approximately 2 cm in width on average, and             approximately 35 cm in length on average. Leaf Shape:             sessile, linear and long-keeled with entire margins, and a             sharply acuminate apex. Leaf Variation: on the upper surface             commonly faint and near Yellow-Green Group 147A in             coloration, and on the under surface strongly keeled at the             mid-rib and near Yellow-Green Group 147A in coloration.             Texture: glabrous. Color: near Yellow-Green Group 146B on             the upper surface, and near Yellow-Green Group 147B on the             under surface. Type: dormant with the plant commonly             retaining substantially no green coloration during the             winter in U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone No. 6b.         -   Scape.—Color near Yellow-Green Group 146A. Length: commonly             approximately 51 cm on average. Width: commonly             approximately 7 mm on average.         -   Disease resistance.—Typical of Hemerocallis with no problems             having been observed to date. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Bud.—Form: modified oblanceolate slightly tapered             cylindrical shape. Apex: upper quarter rounded and comes to             a point. Size: on the day prior to opening commonly             approximately 6.5 cm in length on average, and approximately             2 cm in width on average. Number: commonly in excess of 20             buds per scape. Color: near Yellow-Green Group N144A             changing to near Greyed-Red Group 181B towards the apex.             Opening Rate: commonly approximately three hours on average.         -   Peduncle.—Length: commonly approximately 7 mm on average.             Width: commonly approximately 5 mm on average. Strength:             tends to be rigid and sturdy. Color: near Green Group 143C.         -   Flower.—Size: commonly has a diameter of approximately 10 cm             on average and a depth of approximately 6 cm on average.             Borne: singly on the branchlets of a sturdy erect rachis             which is ramulose. Each scape commonly has at least 22             peduncles, each of which commonly divides into approximately             2 pedicels. Blooms Per Scape: commonly approximately 1 or 2             each day. Tepalage: each flower consists of six perianth             segments wherein there are three outer tepals and three             inner tepals all in an imbricated arrangement. Outer Tepal             Shape: oblanceolate with slightly undulated entire margins             and an acuminate apex. Outer Tepal Texture: slightly ribbed.             Outer Tepal Size: commonly approximately 6 cm in length on             average, and approximately 2.5 cm in width on average. Outer             Tepal Color: the outer surface is near Greyed-Red Group 182C             changing to Yellow-Green Group 151A at the base, and the             inner surface is near Greyed-Red Group 182D changing to near             Yellow-Green Group 151B. Inner Tepal Texture: with a             slightly undulated edge. Inner Tepal Size: commonly             approximately 6.5 cm in length on average, and approximately             4 cm in width on average. Inner Tepal Color: the outer             surface is primarily near Greyed-Red Group 182D with a base             of near Yellow Group 1B, and the inner surface is primarily             Greyed-Red Group 182D changing to near Yellow Green Group             151C at the base. Inner Tepal Venation: near Greyed-Purple             Group 184D. Eyezone: near Greyed-Red Group 184C commonly             measuring approximately 0.75 cm in width on average.             Blooming Habit: the flowers commonly bloom substantially             continuously and the scape commonly is substantially             continuously in bloom for up to approximately 75 days per             year in Hardiness Zone No. 6. Effects of Weather: the             flowers will withstand rain damage in view of the strength             of the tepals. Lasting Quality: commonly at least 16 hours.             As with other Hemerocallis cultivars known to the inventor,             the flower color eventually fades somewhat during the day             with the natural effects of environmental conditions and             ongoing maturity. Fragrance: very slight and typical of             fragrant Hemerocallis.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamen Number: six per flower. Stamen             Disposition: individually inserted at the summit of the             perianth tube. Anther Disposition: introrse. Anther Size:             approximately 5 mm in length. Anther Color: near             Yellow-Green Group 150C. Filament Configuration: slender.             Filament Length: commonly approximately 4.5 cm on average.             Filament Color: near Yellow-Green Group 151D changing to             Greyed-Red Group 182D at the tip. Pollen Color: near             Yellow-Orange Group 23A. Pistil Number: one per flower.             Style Length: approximately 4.5 cm on average. Style Color:             near Yellow-Green Group 151D changing to Greyed-Red Group             182D at the end. Stigma Color: near Yellow-Green Group 151D.             Ovaries: three-celled, oblong, becoming a loculiedally             three-valved capsule, and near Yellow-Green Group 1508 in             coloration.         -   Fruit.—Configuration: the seed pod is in the form of an             ovoid capsule. Color: at maturity commonly is near             Yellow-Green Group 146A. Fertility: the seeds are fertile. -   Hardiness: Cold tolerance is displayed in U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone     No. 4a, and heat tolerance is displayed in U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone     No. 8b. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hemerocallis plant of the dormant type, which: (a) forms attractive ruffled pink flowers having a magenta eyezone, substantial substance, and a funnel-shaped form, (b) possesses a long blooming season with substantially multiple repeat blooming, (c) exhibits a propensity to readily display a plurality of fans, and (d) readily forms a plurality of scapes per fan over the flowering season; substantially as illustrated and described. 